This invention relates to a belly mower for attachment to a vehicle in a location between the wheels for movement with the vehicle over the ground for carrying out a mowing action on the ground. The mower is particularly designed for use with an ATV type vehicle, that is a cycle having three or four wheels where the front wheel or wheels are steered by handle bars, but can be used for any vehicle.
Light duty mowers generally of the order of 36 inches to 54 inches in width are commonly required by the average householder for moving the grass of larger yards. Many mowers of this type are designed for use with yard tractors where the mower is attached to the yard tractor at a position underneath the vehicle and between the wheels in a xe2x80x9cbellyxe2x80x9d mount position and this is particularly convenient for manoeuvrability. The primary task of such yard tractors is often the mowing action and therefore the tractor is designed specifically to receive the mower and generally includes a belt drive arrangement or hydraulic drive arrangement which provides power to the mower and particularly the blades of the mower carried on a horizontal deck of the mower. Often the mower can be detached and removed for use of the tractor for other purposes such as snow removal, cultivation and the like. However, as the primary use of the tractor is often for mowing, it is designed with the mower in mind and therefore provides sufficient clearance and provides suitable mounting arrangements for attachment to the mower.
ATV type vehicles, that is a cycle having three or four wheels where the front wheels are steered by handle bars are available for recreational uses and their primary function is for cross country travel. However many owners of such vehicles want to use the vehicle for other purposes and one example is that of mowing. The use for other such purposes often justifies the cost of the initial vehicle giving the owner the ability to utilize the vehicle for recreational use, for long distance travel over rough terrain and also for working functions around the home such as mowing and cultivation.
The present inventor has therefore provided a design of a cultivator suitable for attachment to an ATV type vehicle and this has achieved considerable success. The device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5988294 issued Nov. 23, 1999.
Mowers are available for attachment to an ATV type vehicle and generally these are towed behind the vehicle by attachment to a hitch at the rear of the vehicle. As ATV vehicles do not generally have a power output system such as a power take off shaft, it is generally necessary to provide a separate motor on the mower. Tow behind mowers thus mount the motor directly on top of the deck so that it is supported by the deck in the rolling action of the deck across the ground. These devices have achieved considerable success and the mower is widely sold as a trail behind equipment for attachment to the ATV.
However the trail behind mower has the disadvantage that it has reduced manoeuvrability since it follows in the form of a trailer. In addition since the mower is behind the vehicle, it is necessary for the user to continually turn to watch the mowing action and to ensure that the mower follows the required path. This turning is uncomfortable for the operator.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore to provide a belly mower which is particularly but not exclusively designed for attachment to a light towing vehicle such as an ATV.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a belly mower for attachment to a vehicle comprising:
a mower deck;
at least one blade mounted on the deck such that forward movement of the deck across the ground causes the blade to effect a cutting action of a crop growing on the ground;
the deck being shaped arranged such that it can be located behind at least one front wheel of the vehicle and in front of at least one rear wheel of the vehicle;
the deck including mounting members for attachment of the deck to the vehicle such that forward movement of the vehicle moves the deck forwards and maintains the deck between the front and rear wheels;
a motor attached to the deck and separate from a motor of the vehicle for driving the at least one blade;
and a control system attached to the deck and operable by a person seated on the vehicle for controlling the driving of the at least one blade by the motor.
As ATV type vehicles generally do not include a power output such as a PTO, the mower preferably includes its own power source preferably an internal combustion motor carried on the mower at a position outboard of the ATV structure.
Preferably there is provided a support arm carrying the motor and extending longitudinally of the vehicle from the deck to a position beyond the vehicle for supporting the motor at the position outboard of the vehicle. This arm preferably extends to the rear so that the motor is behind the vehicle but other locations can be used such as in front of the vehicle. The location of the deck under the belly of the vehicle prevents the motor from being located in its more normal position on top of the deck.
Preferably the support arm includes a ground wheel outwardly of the vehicle which acts as skid member to prevent grounding of the outermost end of the arm over rough terrain.
Preferably the arm includes a mounting member which is arranged for is attachment to the vehicle for propelling the mower. Where the arm extends to the rear, the arm preferably attaches to the rear hitch of the vehicle and thus can pivot upwardly and downwardly to accommodate changes in ground level. Preferably there is provided a second mounting member for holding the deck against side to side movement relative to the vehicle.
Preferably the control system includes a mounting stand which may be attached to the support arm extending to a height for operation by the seated person.
Preferably the motor includes a drive pulley at the support arm for driving a belt extending along the drive arm to the deck for driving the at least one blade.
Preferably there is a plurality of blades each rotatable on a respective drive shaft about a substantially vertical axis at horizontally spaced positions across the deck. Each drive shaft may include a single drive pulley thereon wherein the belt extends from the pulley on the motor around each in turn of the drive pulleys of all of the blades. This arrangement minimizes the height of the deck and drive arrangement for locating the deck in the small clearance available under the vehicle and for allowing the vehicle to drive over the deck for locating the deck in the area between the front and rear wheels.
Preferably there is provided a lift operator for lifting a forward part of the deck for transport.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a belly mower for attachment to a vehicle comprising:
a mower deck;
at least one blade mounted on the deck such that forward movement of the deck across the ground causes the blade to effect a cutting action of a crop growing on the ground;
the deck being shaped arranged such that it can be located behind at least one front wheel of the vehicle and in front of at least one rear wheel of the vehicle;
the deck including support arm arranged to extend longitudinally rearwardly of the vehicle from the deck to a position behind the vehicle;
the support arm including a hitch coupling for attachment to a rear hitch of the vehicle for attachment of the deck to the vehicle such that forward movement of the vehicle moves the deck forwards and maintains the deck between the front and rear wheels.
Preferably the deck is propelled forwardly by the hitch coupling and includes a second mounting member extending from a forward. part of the deck to the vehicle to prevent side to side movement of the deck relative to the vehicle.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a belly mower for attachment to a vehicle comprising:
a mower deck;
a plurality of blades mounted on the deck such that forward movement of the deck across the ground causes the blade to effect a cutting action of a crop growing on the ground, each blade being rotatable on a respective mounting shaft about a substantially vertical axis at horizontally spaced positions across the deck;
the deck being shaped arranged such that it can be located behind at least one front wheel of the vehicle and in front of at least one rear wheel of the vehicle;
the deck including mounting members for attachment of the deck to the vehicle such that forward movement of the vehicle moves the deck forwards and maintains the deck between the front and rear wheels;
a drive shaft attached to the deck for driving the blades including a drive pulley mounted on the drive shaft for driving a belt extending to the deck for driving the blades;
wherein each mounting shaft includes a single drive pulley thereon and wherein the belt extends in a common horizontal plane from the pulley on the drive shaft around each in turn of the drive pulleys of all of the blades.
Preferably the drive shaft is connected directly to a drive motor with the pulley thereon at a bottom of the drive shaft.
Preferably the deck includes a horizontal mounting plate on which the mounting shafts are mounted for rotation about vertical axes passing through the mounting plate with the blades underneath the mounting plate and the pulleys above the mounting plate, all of the pulleys and the belt being covered by a common cover plate parallel to the mounting plate.
A further aspect of the invention is defined by the combination of a vehicle and the mower as defined above.